Here To Stay
by Anuberis
Summary: Death strikes the Inu-tachi, can one of them learn to live again?
1. Default Chapter

I'm so tired of being here  
Suppressed by all my childish fears  
And if you have to leave  
I wish that you would just leave  
'Cause your presence still lingers here  
And it won't leave me alone

These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me

You used to captivate me  
By your resonating life  
Now I'm bound by the life you've left behind   
Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams  
Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone  
But though you're still with me, I've been alone all along

It had been a week but it seems like only moments to him. He couldn't believe it had happened, why had he allowed it to happen? He was supposed to keep her safe but he failed he had cost someone he cared about to lose their life. It wasn't supposed to happen this way, not at all like this.

But she was still dead, lost to him for good, never again would she pop her head out of the well with her gigantic backpack. Never again would he see her smile, hear her laugh or hear "Sit!" A life without her just didn't seem like living at all….

His claws dug into his palms drawing blood as he sat high up in the crook of a tree as usual. Hidden from all in his perch was the only place he wanted to be. He didn't want to be with rest of his band, they couldn't help him since the only one that could was gone.

_Why did I let it happen? It's all my fault she's dead!_

He told himself bitterly as he started to remember. The last touch had been her hand going limp, slipping from rubbing his ear to hit the wet ground as the heavens opened and rain fell down in torrents. He had clutched her tight to him then, willing her to open her eyes and yelling her name. But it was all to no avail, his Kagome wasn't going to wake this time, she was gone and he knew it but he refused to accept it just as he hadn't when Naraku's spike had run her through. No, it hadn't happened, he had told himself as he dove toward her after the strongest force his sword had ever conjured ended Naraku's life. She had to be fine, she just couldn't be hurt, he wouldn't allow it.

She had tried to calm him, telling him would be okay as he felt the warmth seeping from her body and saw the color fading from her face. She was dying but seemed to not accept it as much as him, whispering that they would be after the shards again in no time. He had bit his lip then, drawing blood as he tried to hold in the howl that was growing within him. Her hand was on his ear trying to soothe him then but it only caused a shudder through him. Then she went cold and his world seemed to die with her.

He didn't let go of her limp form for several hours, nuzzling her neck and whimpering as he still hoped she would come back to him somehow like she always had. He would've given anything to be sat right now. He only let go when Miroku and Sango had been convincing him for ages, then collapsing as grief-induced exhaustion overtook him.

Back in the present, they had buried her back in Kaede's village. Inuyasha hadn't been able to bear it, taking to the trees where he could be alone with his grief and inner demons. He had been like this for a week, doing nothing but stay in the tree, blaming himself for her death, only moving when the needs of the body had to be met. His mind just wouldn't stop plaguing him with his loss. They had only just begun getting close before he lost her, Kagome sleeping with him at night in his tree, sit was hardly ever heard and their lives seemed to just be getting started. When he closed his eyes, he could almost smell her wondrous scent, feel her weight on his lap and hear her gentle voice whispering his name but all these would never be again. Above all though, his second biggest regret was not telling her he loved her. He had planned to that day but then Naraku cut such plans to ribbons. He could still remember her watching his face as he tried to tell her but then it all happened, a blur until the moment she was struck, a time when everything seemed to have frozen entirely for what had seemed like an eternity for him until he was able to come to her aid, far too late though, if only he had protected her better…..

He growled softly thinking of when he had to go tell her mother since he was the only one able to go through the well. The woman had of course started crying immediately, making Inu feel all the worse for not being able to protect Kagome better. Souta hadn't done any better, soon Inu had them both hugging him, which felt a little comforting but still reminded him of what had happened, she was dead because of him. When the pain became too much, Inu said his goodbyes and gone through the well to further delve into his thoughts alone. The trees felled and ripped apart were near his tree as was a youkai that had made the mistake of crossing his path and looking for a fight. Pretty much it wasn't hard to find the hanyou based on it even if the person searching didn't know him well. The rest of the group left him alone for now, letting him grieve and decided it would be best to leave him alone when they saw the damage he caused.

But today the group could stand waiting for him no longer, the little fox demon, Shippo yelled up to him for quite some time before Inuyasha plopped down to the ground. The hanyou was quite silent as he regarded them all with an indifferent look, eyes hidden under his bangs and his face unreadable. Miroku tried to break the silence with a suggestion to ease his friend's thoughts for a time since Inuyasha had of course taken it the hardest of them all.

"Why don't we take a dip in the springs? Would do us some good to get warm with the snow around…" He said while watching the snow that began to fall again, flakes flitting all around them in a leisurely rate, soon to cover everything with another icy blanket with time.

The hanyou only nodded blankly before heading in that direction, not looking to see if they followed, he didn't care really. Nothing mattered to him anymore, she was gone, and he didn't have a thing to care about. But as he walked, something caught his attention, making him sniff the air and prick his ears sharply forward before the hanyou sprang off into the woods.


	2. Spilled Blood

He smelled something, something that couldn't possibly be but it wouldn't stop him from seeking it out. Blood but more importantly, he knew that scent. His heart pounded in his chest as he raced towards it, running faster than he ever remembered doing before, a mere blur in the sea of white blurs sweeping past him. The trees parted into a large clearing where the snow had formed a white blanket across it but now a red tint marred its pristine surface. At the edge of the clearing, lay a girl slumped over with her back to him. She was bleeding all over but her main wound in her leg seeped blood around her form. Her ebony hair covered her face entirely like a shroud around her. Her clothes were in a ripped disarray, hanging off her quite literally as her wounds dyed them slowly crimson.

None of this mattered to Inuyasha though as he sprang towards the creature he had been seeking. But a low growl soon met his ears, a set of them flipping forward then back in irritation. Inuyasha checked his leap in mid-air to land to the side of this creature, crouching down on haunches, this was definitely not right at all even though his nose was telling him otherwise.

Another growl and the sound of the form shifting to face the new voice that met his ears as he heard Shippo yelling, "Kagome!" in the distance, apparently he wasn't the only one who thought so. The little kitsune stopped at the edge of the clearing with the sound of another growl, Kagome didn't growl like that. But why did he smell her? Well not quite her, the scent was off just a little.

Inuyasha was thinking the same, the scent reminded of how Kagome's had smelled to him at first, mostly like Kikyo but a little different, it had confused him back then too, his nose wasn't supposed to lie to him. The scent so teasing his nose, he wanted it so badly to be her and not the form before him, why did she have to leave him?

The creature on the other hand continued to growl louder and louder, claws digging into the earth as its tail lashed behind it. Its head raised and a reddened face came into view to yell at the intruders.

"For the last time, you can't have it!"

The group looked shocked at the outburst and her meaning was quite unclear to say the least. Miroku was first to speak, his voice low to appear friendly to the stranger.

"We mean you no harm, I think our friend just had a case of mistaken identity is all….'

'_That would be the understatement of the year'_

Inuyasha thought to himself as he looked her over, he had never thought he would see one again since this breed tended to keep to themselves and hidden from all others. What was a neko youkai doing here all alone and injured? Her kind didn't usually fight unless they needed to, preferring to disappear into the shadows instead. But here was this girl, all torn up and yelling nonsense. Had battling and the loss of blood also torn away her sanity?

Her stance still remained tensed as it had since the furball had pounced, she didn't believe a word, they all said that and then the fights started. She looked down at the little pouch hanging around her neck, all this for something so small seemed ridiculous but it happened all the same. No matter what their words, she wasn't letting down her guard one bit as she kept her teeth and claws and bared, ready for anything if they came close at all, especially the unclean mutt of a boy that was too close for her liking.

"I know what you want, they all want it but you can't have it unless you rip it from my corpse!"

She yelled before swiping at the dog demon with her razor sharp claws since he had inched a little closer for a better smell of her scent. He dodged a little to avoid it but not far enough, earning him four slashes on his cheek, still he didn't move any further away.

He just had to know, why did this neko smell like his Kagome? She definitely wasn't her despite how much he had wanted her to be and Kagome couldn't have been reincarnated into a new body since this creature was far too old for that. Well not, that old, she had to be around 50 he guessed in his own years but that was beside the point. Her scent just seemed to taunt him, so like Kagome's but not which caused his heart to sink again into his grief. He shook it off though when anger took its place with her words that didn't make any sense.

"What the hell are you talking about!"

He blurted out, sounding like himself for the first time since her death but he just had to know and it overrided any other thoughts he had.

Her head turned his direction, baring her teeth as she snarled and swished her tail back and forth behind her. How dare he speak to her like that, the filthy half-breed demon made her cat-like body react with loathing towards him immediately. She snarled once more then yelled towards him.

"You can't have the shard, bakemono whelp!"

His own teeth bared at the outburst, ears flattening back as his claws dug into the ground. Sango's voice broke the tension though.

"Do you mean you have a Shikon jewel shard?" She asked while her hand tensed on her oversized boomerang, ready to take the youkai when the time was right but first, questions had to be answered.

"Oh course the damn jewel shard! That's why you're here isn't it?"

"Why do you have one of those, bitch?" Came Inu's voice from beside her, his tone sounding more and more menacing as the seconds passed, eyes narrowed now almost to slits as the questions he wondered were maddening him.

"To protect it from people like you!"

The neko demon shot back, hair seeming to stand on end all over, even on her tail as her ears flattened completely back to her head. But after that outburst, she shook and then fell limp to the ground. It seemed she had wasted all the energy she had left to her after her battles. Instead of a menacing form, she now looked weak and helpless all prone on the snow and her features had calmed to reveal the pretty face that had been hidden under her mask of rage.

Inu started to move forward, still bristling but Miroku stopped him by standing in front of him with his arms out.

"We have to help her, if not, we'll never see what she means so calm down!"

He said even though he didn't like dealing with Inu like this especially without Kagome's sit to bring the demon under control, there was no telling what he would do now.

"Keh…"

Was Inu's only reply before he shook a little and stood back up, eying the cat over the priest's shoulder.

"You'll have to pick her up, Inuyasha, she probably weighs a ton like you so we could never lift her." At the demon's lack of attention on him, he tried again, "She needs Kaede's herbs and care if she's going to be able to live through the night…"

The word live snapped Inu out of his stupor, nodded before shoving past the priest, the word echoing in his head over and over, he wasn't going to let another girl die because of him, not again. He scooped up the girl and tossed her over his shoulder somewhat roughly before sprinting off in the direction of the old woman's hut without waiting for the others yet again.


	3. Healing

When the gang arrived at the hut, Inuyasha was leaning against the wall next to the door of the sleeping quarters to the hut, his eyes closed and hands tucked into the sleeves of his robes. He didn't wait for them to ask before he spoke.

"The old bat is taking care of her, she locked up in there so she can take care of all the wounds."

The lecherous priest blushed a little as he thought of what must be bared in other the room just now before a crack to his head sent him crashing to the ground. Sango fumed a bit, hand on her boomerang again.

"Lech.." She muttered before taking a seat to wait. Shippo looked at Inu for while, trying to figure out it all in his head before curling up with Sango's shape-shifting friend Kirara.

Inu kehed as usual but otherwise stayed still to wait it out while he lost himself in his own thoughts.

The cat demon awoke several hours later, stretching out her back before making a pained hiss as her body ached all over. Her head turned to one of the hut's walls in an instant though, she wasn't alone.

"What do you want?"

She growled to the man standing in the corner, watching her closely, it was that damn dog from before!

"Waiting for you to wake up to answer a few questions." He barked back but held his temper mostly in check.

She bared her teeth at him again before she started to notice something was wrong.

"What did you do with the shard?"

She snapped at him, growling lowly, so the dog-boy was a thief too, if she could only move, she would have given him quite a few deep scars. The hanyou smiled wryly before pulling the pouch that held her shard out of the folds of his robe.

"This? It's too much for you…"

"Says who? A weak hanyou? How the hell would you know?"

"We're collecting these, little kit, and it doesn't matter why.."

"Oh when I can move again, you're going to be full of holes when I'm done with you!" She yelled, eying the marks she had already left, they were still there, the hanyou had not slept it seemed.

"I look forward to it…" He said dryly, he really didn't care but why not have a little fun with her? He needed something to keep his mind off the past, anything would do as long as those images would stay out of his head if only a moment. He couldn't help but smirk a little as she cursed him with whatever came to mind, this might just be what he needed after all. Lacing his fingers together behind his head, he then wandered out of the room, leaving her cursing his back.

The same argument happened for the next few days, no questions getting answered for either of them, the girl just wasn't talking and Inu wasn't giving back the shard. So each day, tempers seethed until one morning. Inu watched her form, waiting for her to wake up to try again. Suddenly, she was up and springing for him, claws bared. He was gone in an instant, leaving her to dig her claws into the wood of the wall before racing after him. Miroku and Sango watched both blurs pass before sighing.

"Seems she's feeling better…" Sango muttered.

"Oh joy…" Miroku answered before yelping, seemed his hand had wandered yet again.

Outside, a game of chase was going on, blurs racing through the forest at breakneck speed, feline growls followed by laughing from her prey. He was having fun for the first time since "she" had left him, games kept his mind busy so this was more than welcome. After a time, he let her catch up, only to be thrown on his back as she reached for the hidden pouch beneath his robes. A gasp came from her as he reversed the pin before pinning her arms down so she couldn't get it.

"So…happy now?"

He taunted, smiling when her face went red then putting his ears back as her shouted curses assaulted his hearing.

"Well you two mind acting like adults so we can get a start on the day?" Came Shippo's voice from nearby while Miroku leaned on his staff and Sango watched his hand to make sure he didn't get any ideas. Inu jumped away, watching the cat-girl to see if she planned on attacking again.

"We can't see them so how do we do find them?" The hanyou barked, his thoughts drifting back to things he didn't want to ponder.

"I can.." Came a little whisper from the girl drawing a shocked look from the group. "The name is Shiori…" She continued, ears going back a bit, she knew it had to sound crazy to them.

"Prove it!" Inu barked, anger seeping into his thoughts as his thoughts continued to wander.

"The shard is at your stomach, just above your belt…"

"Is it?" Shippo asked, trying not to fidget which was hard for the little kitsune.

"Bitch!" The hanyou answered before mumbling yes under his breath.

"Looks like we can get going again then…" Miroku said quietly before walking forward, the others soon falling into step behind him, the neko sighing before following as well, she wasn't going to get her shard back anyway so might as well try to steal one when the opportunity presented itself. Inu was the last to follow, sprinting out ahead of them within moments, a scowl on his face, muttering a steady stream of curses as he went. And so began the next stage of the group's journey…….


	4. Day To Day

Weeks passed and night fell as the group came to a halt for the day, eating only but a few fish, quite the meager meal compared to what they used to have with Kagome but that couldn't be helped. The meal had mostly been in silence till Inu's bark broke it.

"Come back here with that, dammit!"

The shout had been thrown towards the retreating form of Shiori as she disappeared into the cover of the darkness with the last of Inu's fish, the dog demon hot on her heels. She wasn't too hard to follow even for the weaker-eyes of Miroku and Sango, the many earrings and tail ornament she wore shone in the moonlight. When he found her though, she was tossing the bones to the ground and licking her lips, a sly smile on her face as she faced him.

"Dammit, bitch! Why did you do that!" He barked at her stepping closer to her on the wide branch they stood on.

She looked nonplussed by his anger, sitting back on her haunches and making a soft purr.

"No reason, just thought it would liven up the night…."

"Liven up the night!" He yelled back before turning away from her and going into a tirade of cursing, calling her all sorts of indecent things as he let out his anger. When he turned back to look at her, she was laid out on her stomach, yawning as she looked up at him.

"Why don't find another tree so I can get some sleep? You don't have to be in the same one, there's a whole forest to pick from." She asked, tail swishing back and forth as her ears went to the side and her eyes shut.

Inu's anger started to surge back up again before he quelled it, there was no use in arguing with her, she didn't allow herself to be baited unlike Kagome had.

"I won't be leaving my shard detector alone so I'll stay right here…."

He then sat down and leaned his back against the trunk of the tree before folding his arms into the sleeves of his robe and giving her a no nonsense glare.

Shiori yawned and stretched again before shutting her eyes, letting her thoughts wander while she tried not to notice the cold, soon out falling asleep like only a cat can.

"Keh…" Was Inu's only reply before going silent as he too began to fall asleep.

He found after while he couldn't though, her scent still teased the hell out of his nose. Since she was asleep, the always reckless Inuyasha crept over to her and leaned over to sniff her neck, smiling softly at how it reminded him of Kagome and wishing it was her. But he stiffened as claws came up to not the best of places and a growl came from the girl beneath him.

"Get the hell away from me now!" She murmered, eyes still closed but he knew she was awake, her scent reeked of anger.

He sighed and settled back into his place, wondering why she was making him act this way, this girl couldn't be his Kagome no matter how much he wanted her to be. He sighed again, falling into his thoughts as the girl soon slept on again before giving in to sleep himself soon after.

The days passed in nearly the same way every day for the next two months, starting with a fight in the morning over the shard and ending with a fight over stolen food each night, it soon was like clockwork.

After another fight ended, Shiori curled up on the branch as usual, yawning softly before falling asleep a few moments later, trying not to shiver in the cold. Inu was quiet as he watched the woman, he was past getting angry anymore, it didn't do him any good. He kehed at her shivering before letting himself drift off, dreams soon taking his thoughts elsewhere.

Several hours passed without a hitch until Shiori noticed she had moved and felt suddenly warm. She sniffed the air, Inu smelled closer than he should be, was the wind just messing with her? She opened her eyes only to gasp as his red robe met her eyes. How the hell did she end up in Inu's arms and how did she not notice it until it was too late? She started to struggle as she realized he had grabbed her but stopped when she saw he was very much not awake. She looked up at him wondering why the hell he had done this before his mumbling brought the answer, "Kagome," he murmered before burying his face into her neck. Tensing all over, Shiori started to swat him one across the face before his warmth seeped into her. She found her cat-like instincts taking over, making her want to sleep. Instantly feeling groggy, she decided what did it matter, it was better than being freezing and fell back asleep.

Inu awoke first, nose twitching as he started to creep out of his dreams, something was not right here. He opened his eyes to see Shiori in his arms, dead to the word in sleep. He tried to move away but her claws dug into his robes and a soft murmer came from her, he smiled softly as a memory of Kagome doing the same thing flashed in his mind. If only she knew just how much she reminded him of her, when he looked past Shiori's smartass remarks and taunts, he could almost see Kagome looking out through her eyes sometimes. He flashed a lop-sided grin when the realization dawned on him, was he falling for her now too? No, he couldn't be but she did make him feel as though all was well when she was near him. But what would Kagome think of him? He didn't know but he swallowed hard, what was he going to do with this?

"Morning…" Came her voice from his chest as she lifted her head, looking as though nothing was wrong with this picture for a few moments before she sprang back in confusion, what had happened last night? She didn't wait for answer as she jumped down and disappeared in the woods with Inu staring after her.


	5. Odd Turn Of Events

The group couldn't help but notice Shiori was glaring daggers but the hanyou walked ahead as though he didn't seem to notice anything at all. But given the pair, they knew not to ask, it was better to not risk a blow-up from either of them. It was hard not to laugh at Shiori's fuming figure though, tensed out in every possible way and oh if looks could kill, the hanyou would have dropped dead a thousand times over.

By nightfall though, the mood seemed calm again as they dined on fish again, Shippo, Miroku and Sango all watching the pair silently wondering what was up, they should be fighting like literal cats and dogs right now but the dog demon never once raised his voice nor did Shiori end up mauling him as she usually did each day while he did a good mauling back.

It was just odd to see them both so calm, eerie in a way. The moment was broken as Shiori got up and jumped up into the trees above them, the group's eyes following Inu's form as he leapt up after her, a little confused sweat drop forming on each of their brows.

Shiori was already feigning sleep when he got there but Inu didn't seem to mind, instead he watched her, looking much like he used to in Kagome's day, making sure his prize was safe.

Shiori shivered under his gaze for a bit before giving into sleep when she could stay awake no longer, hoping she wouldn't wake up like that again. Her soft purr soon met his ears as he knew she had dropped off before his own eyes closed.

He awoke to the sound of Shiori shifting and her scent feeling closer, he could tell that without opening his eyes. He didn't expect what followed though, Shiori was kissing him but everything smelled and felt like Kagome was there instead. He started to pull away when her arms tightened around him to keep him close as the feeling of Kagome there washed over his senses. He gasped softly at how warm she felt against him, beautiful scent filling the air and making him feel giddy. Again he wasn't prepared for what happened next as her palm met his face and Kagome's scent gone, leaving only an empty space where Shiori had been and the hanyou with a shocked look of what just happened on his face.


	6. Where Do We Go From Here?

Shiori came to a stop after a bit, breath hitching in her chest as she fought with what she had just woken up to, how had she gotten like that? She growled as she thought angrily within her head.

'_Why the hell did you do that? You didn't ask to take me over, you weren't even supposed to do that!'_

Another voice answered from within..

**I know, I wanted to tell him goodbye, tell him that for me…**

The voice said sobbingly in her head..

'_That wasn't a part of our deal, you weren't supposed to take me over at all….I'm just holding you in here as per our agreement…'_

The voice took awhile to respond again…

**Just tell him, that's all I ask, I won't do it again…**

'_You're damn right you won't or you'll be out of here and wandering again…remember your place in the world, you don't exist anymore….'_

Shiori hissed back but the voice spoke no more to her so she headed off to a nearby stream to cool off.

Little did she know, Inu was following her, mind surging with questions as his heart ached, why was life teasing him with his lost love still? His thoughts were cut short as he found her and fell to the ground as he got quite the eyeful of the neko. She squealed before dropping back into the water, soon assailing Inu's head with anything she could find on the river bottom, rocks, logs and the like.

He jumped away, out of her reach in the trees before yelling down to her.

"Get dressed, we need to talk!"

"Pervert!" Shiori yelled back still keeping hidden in the water and covering herself with her arms.

"I didn't mean to see you like that, I was just trying to find you!"

"Yeah, sure, I believe that…" She said back before reaching for her clothes at the edge of the riverbank, watching Inu all the while to make sure he wasn't sneaking a peek. "You can look now.." She called after awhile.

Inu leaped a bit too eagerly back down, not bothering to keep up his usual I don't care about anything attitude and dropping down right in front of her.

"Why?" Was all he could manage to get out, still reeling a little from the kiss and his accidental look earlier.

"She says goodbye…" Was Shiori's answer as she looked to the ground to avoid his eyes, she just couldn't look at him right now.

"Who?" He asked though his heart knew the answer even though it made no sense how that could happen.

"Kagome….she's in me.."

The dog demon did a face plant in front of her and Shiori had to really try not to giggle, she had to get this out all at once or she would lose her nerve.

"It all happened about a week before you found me….I had been nursing my wounded pride up in a tree while I tended to the gashes I had suffered from a snake demon's surprise attack when the wind was away from me. After I killed him, I took the trees to hide from anything else that might be lurking when I sensed a faint aura behind me. I snapped around to look and a see a hazy form of girl in front of me, sunlight shining clear through her. "I don't want to die," She tells me, ghostly tears flowing down her face, "I can't leave, I'm not done, I can't leave him." I watched her for quite some time before I ended up agreeing to help her on some of the counts since I didn't need anymore jewel pumped up demons attacking me. I took her into me to give her a vessel while she in return allowed me to see the shards she needed to find and giving me a name, your name before she went quiet for a time…..At any rate, she did that this morning, not me, took me over and did as she wished…."

Inu rolled over onto his back, ears flipping back and forth throughout the tale before he spoke.

"Makes sense I guess…" He asked, his eyes hidden under his bangs and his face unreadable, "Goodbye?"

"Yes, she told me before that she was worried she wouldn't be able to come back again since her soul died in this time….so I guess that's her way of saying, don't worry about me…" Shiori said, looking up at him for a moment before her gaze dropped to the ground again, the words had just sunk in as to what the miko had really meant in a way she hadn't thought of beforehand. The miko was giving her permission in a way, Shiori hadn't thought of which caused a blush to appear on her face.

Inu smiled a tiny bit at the blush, he knew what it meant too, Kagome had answered his thoughts and fears. Part of him still felt somber to it all but a little portion drifted to thinking what that meant for his future, or his and someone else's now too.


	7. Why Me?

The day passed the usual way, dull and boring for the most part since shards were as illusive as always so Sango and Miroku took to watching the dog demon and the neko exchange furtive glances at one another throughout the day, wondering just what had happened with the pair. Their manner seemed just like a certain other pair just a little while ago before Kagome and Inu started being out in the open with their shows of affection. But nothing seemed to happen until Shiori leapt off into the trees with Inu's fish again, the hanyou not missing a beat in following her.

_Was that a smirk? _Miroku wondered as Inuyasha drifted out of sight before giving him a good luck smile, seemed the hanyou was back to normal, well as normal as he could be.

Deep in the forest, Shiori soon found herself being thrown to the ground and rolled over onto her back as her wrists were then held down. Eyes half-wild with the hunt, the amber eyes of Inuyasha looked down at her, a rakish grin on his face.

"Got ya!" He said, sounding just like a child before leaning his head down to grab the fish back and snatched it away from her. Shiori giggled softly and smiled back at him while she tried to catch her breath. Inu released her and rolled off before jumping up into the tree, quickly eating his meal and then leaning his back against the tree without a word. Shiori was still for a few moments as she processed what had just happened, locking away some of the thoughts that had come with his being so close.

She rolled off her back, crouched then leapt up to the branch he was on. She sat down then started to lay herself out on her stomach over the branch as she always did before she felt his arms encircle her waist and pull her back into him. She couldn't suppress the excited little shiver at being close to him brought as she purred softly. Inu remained silent though as he rested his head on the top of her's, eyes closing as he felt at peace and sleepy. Shiori's ears pricked up curiously, wondering if he was going to stay still all night before even relaxed breathing met her ears, seemed he had drifted off already.

She started to doze off too but something soon brought her sharply alert once more. Inu had shifted his head and chomped down lightly on the tendon by her neck before staying still again. A flash of heat surged over her, causing a little gasp and a purr from the youkai as her ears went back in contentment. Shiori shivered at the feel of his warm breath on her neck and the prick of his teeth, he really was just a big puppy she thought to herself. It was quite hard to relax under though as she tried her best and failed. Soon though, his grip loosened and shivers ran down her spine as he started to lick her neck instead while she felt his purr-like rumble within against her. She bit her lip lightly to keep mostly quiet but she couldn't help purring.

"Mine…"

The hanyou said quietly, even though lost in dreams, he meant it. He wasn't going to waste his time anymore, he wasn't going to allow things to go wrong again, this time he would do it right and love her with everything he had.

After awhile, he became still and Shiori started to relax a bit, skin tingling from his touch and his arms around her. She was happier than she had ever been, glad the hanyou whom she wanted in her inner most thoughts for so long could be hers, even though it had taken an accidental kiss from Kagome's soul taking over to make her realize it. All those fights and stealing of his food were to keep his attention she realized now, all to win over him despite her not even knowing it back then.

The pair had spent most of the morning in the tree until Shippo's whines had managed to bring them down. Inu's ear pricked forward soon after.

"Shit, not now…."

But even as the words left his mouth, the whirlwind that was Kouga appeared in front of him, his attention on the last person Inu wanted it to be on though.

"Kagome? What happened to you?" He asked while leaning in close to Shiori to get a better whiff of the odd smell "Kagome" was giving off. He growled, two more answering his as Inu pulled "Kagome" closer and she growled at him too.

"Back off!" Inu yelled before calling Kouga all sorts of insults relating to the wolf's breed.

"What did you do to Kagome, Inukuso?" Kouga asked, calling Inu in kind as usual.

He was met with a slash across his face though as Shiori lashed out at him. He reeled back in shock, "Kagome" had never even yelled at him let alone hit him.

"Kagome?" He asked before putting a hand to his face.

"What are you? Brain-dead? I'm not Kagome, I'm Shiori! Have humans ever just poofed into nekos before?"

Shiori spat out at him, angered by how close this stranger was getting to her, bristling just as much as she could feel Inu doing from the close pressing hug he held her in.

"Shiori?" The wolf said with a blank stare for a few moments. Then in looking into the angry pair's faces, decided it was best to make a hasty retreat and was gone in another of the whirlwinds that he caused. It was better to retreat and re-group then deal with the angry pair in his mind. In the old days, things had been quieter, little fights with the hanyou until Kagome would sit him then Kouga could do as he wished but this was so different. "Kagome" had growled him and hurt him in more than just his body.


	8. Take A Chance On Me

More months passed with only a few new shards found but it didn't seem to matter much, the little band just went on with their lives day by day. Spring was fast approaching, Shiori could smell it in the air, and as each day passed, she would get more and more restless. There was quite the reason though, she could sense her first heat was on the way with the changes she could feel. Her mind often drifted to having a cub or two, wondering what it would be like and longing for it more and more. Her head turned as Inu shifted against her in sleep, arms tightening a bit around her waist. He claimed he was keeping his shard detector warm but she knew better by now. The question of how he felt remained a mystery though, the hanyou seemed to only be affectionate in his sleep so far and she wondered if he was really dreaming of Kagome. Would he stay or run away when her scent become overpowering? She didn't know but she hoped he would take her and do things that caused her to blush as she thought about them. Funny how over time, her hatred had faded leaving a new emotion in its wake. Only time would tell she supposed….

She giggled after a moment, something wasn't right here.

"I know you're awake, Inu-ko.."

She said quietly, waiting for the words to do what she wished. Sure enough the hanyou soon answered with a growl.

"I'm not a pup, I'm older than you…"

"Whatever, get some sleep, you'll need your energy in the next few days…"

She whispered before leaning her head up to give his chin a little kiss then shutting her eyes and soon drifting off to leave the hanyou with his thoughts.

The thoughts that went through his head made the hanyou blush a bit before he growled softly, he hated it when that happened. But then again, she wasn't awake to see, he could already hear her breathing was in a slow rhythmic sound meaning the cat demon had again dropped off in a matter of seconds. Had she meant what he thought she did? No, she couldn't, he was just a lowly hanyou, a full youkai would never take someone like him for a mate. But then again, he thought with a smile, a normal youkai wouldn't be as close as Shiori was now, all curled up in his embrace, sleeping without a care in the world and trusting him to watch over her. And then there was that little kiss, did the neko know what that gesture meant among his kind? Basically the cat demon had said in the gesture that she submit to the leader male, which in turn meant sooo much more. With a smile on his face, Inuyasha fell asleep, imagining what it would be like to hold Shiori in future, his hands rubbing a stomach rounded with his child.

The next morning, Inu awoke first, seemed Shiori was ready scent-wise and his sense of smell was going haywire because of it. His youkai blood was telling him what he should do about it while his human half was trying to calm him down. It took him several moments to regain his composure enough to nuzzle her neck.

"Shiori?"

She made a mewl and opened her eyes, canting her head back to look at him before smiling in a way he had never seen her do before.

"Ready, pup?"

He had to bite his lower lip to not react to her tone of voice, she was teasing him on purpose but he had to know if what he thought was true, he still had his doubts, he was a lowly hanyou after all, no one wanted half-bloods.

"For what?"

He asked, all too aware of his voice cracking ever so slightly, damn woman and her wiles.

"Me…"

She said quietly before moving away a little and stretching, watching him out of the corner of her eye, smiling when she saw a slight shiver. She turned to face him again, pressing up against him and purring softly by his ear.

"…Better not wait much longer, I won't wait forever…"

She whispered then nipped at his ear before she was gone, disappearing into the forest.

The hanyou shivered after she was gone then exhaled the breath he had been holding so long. "Bitch.." He murmured before jumping down to where Shippo slept. He wanted to leave right away but the group would no doubt worry about them. He picked the little kit up by his bushy tail and counted while the kit started to wake up.

"Inuyasha!"

The kit yelled, starting to telling him off but the Inu bared his claws in front of the boy's face to quiet him. It did the trick, the kit gulped and went silent.

"Shiori and I will be gone for about a week…."

He said before dropping the kit and disappearing into the forest, leaving the kit more confused than when he woke up.

Inu smiled when he caught her scent, she had already gotten pretty far, seemingly playing hard to get. His smile turned more wry as he knew this game would not end in the usual way, sure pinning would be involved but also much more interesting activities. He thought briefly of how it would be, feeling more feral the wilder his thoughts got. Then again, his thoughts didn't need much help, his dreams had been taunting ever since Shiori's scent started to change. Kept him restless so he woke up even more tired in the morning, Shiori poking fun at him, she knew full well what her scent did and that was probably why she suggested more sleep. Oh he was going to get her back when he caught her, **_many_** times if he had his way. While entertaining such thoughts, he let her keep ahead, seeing what she had planned.

Her scent seemed to stay in one spot as the sun was high in the sky, waiting for him, teasing him with that tantalizing musky scent. He paused at the opening to a cave, her scent told him she was in there. He smiled softly, the cave would be good for some things but not others, sound was definitely going to travel. But otherwise, everything was still, no wind on the breeze, animals quiet and the she-devil within was silent as well. As he entered the cave, her breathing was louder though as she sensed him getting nearer. He sniffed the air, no traces of fear so he continued. The only sound that met his ears was her shifting impatiently somewhere within. When his eyes spotted her form, he pounced and pinned his soon to be mate. She remained silent so he nuzzled her neck earning a soft purr in return and felt her shiver softly though he knew from her scent it was definitely not in fear. What he didn't expect was her arms and legs wrapping around him and pulling him down to a searing kiss. After that, there was no more holding back from either of them as they gave in to instinct and their desires.


	9. Mine

A week later found Shiori yawning and stretching before wincing. Her hand rose to the back of her neck, a little memento Inu had left her with. True to inu-youkai traditions, he had marked there by biting her neck as they mated. Due to time after time of this, she knew it would leave the scar and scent that would tell all youkai and hanyou alike that she was a bonded female. She smiled as she thought of when he would do it though, biting then soothingly licking the wound in apology while all the while they gave into their urges, it was a pleasing sensation to say the least. She shifted underneath the makeshift blanket that was his outer haori to look at her "attacker." He was dead to the world in sleep, lying on his side, though his arm tightened protectively around her waist when she had moved. His ears were back in contentment, features looking as though he was dead tired but that was given considering how the week had gone. His ears had flitted briefly forward when she had moved but neither sound nor any dangerous scent presented itself so they went back again. She bit her lower lip lightly to hold back a chuckle, Inu refused to let his guard down even in sleep. Shiori supposed as a hanyou, he really couldn't with all the other youkai out to kill him. She sighed softly as she watched him, for a hanyou, he was quiet interesting. With his piercing amber eyes, silvery long hair, haughty smile and well other things that made her cheeks redden when she thought of them, the neko knew she didn't regret her choice. He was the right one, the one who was to be the sire of her cubs and above all her mate. Her heart fluttered as she thought of the future, in a few months, things would be very different for them. But such things would have to be thought of later as Shiori drifted off again, nuzzling his neck as dreams took over.

She awoke a few hours later to Inu's hand traveling slowly up and down her back. She shivered and yawned before amber eyes met her own. Her mate raised an eyebrow at her staring as though wondering what thoughts were crossing her mind, perhaps wondering if she would leave him now since her heat had spent itself. She leaned in and gave him a soft kiss, biting his lower lip lightly to soothe his fears. This motion earned her a soft purring growl from him as he pulled her close to him. Shiori giggled and leaned back a bit.

"A week wasn't enough for you?"

He leaned in more then nipped at her ear with a playful growl.

"No but I wasn't thinking about that right now….we should be getting back or at least get out of here…unless you feel like more…"

He added with a smirk.

Shiori giggled before nipping his ear back.

"No, we should probably take a bath though…."

A short time later and another "quick" stop, they were headed back to Kaede's village where the group always met up. They found the group waiting in her hut, Miroku flashing them a knowing smile only to be whacked over the head by Sango.

The pair ignored them, Inu took up his usual spot in the corner, leaning his back against the wall before Shiori sat in his lap acting like it was normal for her to do so. This caused a sweat drop from everyone else in the hut, they knew what had gone on due to Shippo mentioning an odd scent from Shiori before the pair left, the kit didn't understand of course but the adults did. Still it was a bit shocking how youkai and hanyous acted sometimes. And more importantly, this was very unlike Inu, he was rarely cuddly, barely showing Kagome any attention when others were watching. But it was good to see him smiling again, it had been so long since Kagome's death. Shiori looked quite happy as well, purring away, resting her head just under Inu's chin. It looked the pair would be quite happy for a long time.


	10. Oh The Joys Of Motherhood

Shiori awoke in the morning, sniffing the air before starting to feel nauseous. She whined softly wondering if she was sick. One more sniff of the morning's meal cooking sent her out of the hut though and a gagging sound soon followed. Inu was up in moments, stroking her back with one hand and the other was holding her hair back. Seemed morning sickness was already on its way. When the shuddering stopped, Inu picked her up and took her to the stream to wash up, he doubted it felt good to have that nasty taste in her mouth. He set her down on the riverbank and stepped away a bit so she could take care of her clothes. Once she was in the water, he removed his and joined her. His mate had dunked under the water while he was doing so she jumped slightly in surprise. Yawning softly, she sat down in the water since the world still seemed to be spinning. The water came up to her shoulders, covering her from all but her mate. He shifted behind her and sat too before rubbing her shoulders soothingly. The neko melted under his touch, purring happily, enjoying it immensely it seemed.

After awhile, he moved away, returning with his outer haori for her to cover herself with. She took it gladly, shivering softly as a soft wind swished by. Her mate then shook like a dog which made her laugh. Inu smiled sheepishly before getting dressed and handing her own kimono. She hugged him close when she was done, loving how warm he felt despite the recent chill from the stream, then again, he always felt very warm to the touch. They stood in silence for a bit, Inu nibbling at one of her ears while she purred. After a playful nip at her ear, Inu then picked his mate up and took her back to the village. Once he had her settled on the roof of Kaede's hut, he set out to find his mate more suitable food, as which became the daily ritual for each meal, he couldn't let his mate and pup eat unhealthy meals after all.

Inu loved to hunt anyway and it was so much more rewarding when you had a mate to bring it home to. It had been so long since he had done it, Kagome usually preferred he bring home fish so for two years, that's all he had brought back since raw meat sickened her. But that was no longer a problem, Shiori preferred fresh meat to human food so anything he brought back would be good. Besides he liked providing for his mate and cub, meant he was being a good mate as well.

Shippo was first to step out of the hut that morning, promptly crinkling his nose at the scent of Shiori's sickness. He scented the air to find the maker before going back in to tell Kaede about it. The old woman recommended some herbs but the neko declined them, saying she could handle it, besides she doubted Inu would approve anyway. So from then on, the pair slept on the roof of the hut or in Inu's favorite tree so Shiori wouldn't get sick from the scent of human food again.


	11. Trouble From The Past

The next few months were pretty uneventful, very few shard rumors came their way these days. But the group didn't seem to mind, Sango and Miroku took to hunting rouge demons for the nearby towns and Shippo played usually with the local children. Inu and Shiori were never far apart for long, nestled on the branch of Inu's favorite tree. Inu was usually found with his hands on Shiori's stomach, trying to feel for the young life within while Shiori rested. Inu rarely left her side, only really to hunt to provide for his mate and unborn cub but Shiori usually came along unless she was too tired.

Inu nuzzled her neck after a bit to which she made a small whine, not wanting to be woken up it seemed.

"Hungry?"

He asked, eying his mate's form, she was healthy but he intended to keep her that way, neither his mate nor his pup would go hungry. He nibbled lightly at one of her ears while he waited for her reply to keep her awake enough to answer him.

"A bit…."

She said with a yawn then shifting her weight a bit to get more comfortable, the child was already poking at her within. At least claws wouldn't come in until a few days after its birth otherwise she would be receiving a stab with each poke.

"Tired?"

Her mate asked, continuing his assault on her ear and sniffing her a bit to take in her wonderful scent.

"Well if it would stop poking and kicking, I could sleep better…"

She answered, whining softly and shifting again.

"Guess you can stay here while I find something then, sounds like you could use some more rest.."

He let go of her ear to lick her cheek softly and made a soft purr-like growl.

"Sounds good…"

Without another word, Inu shifted her out of his lap and rested her back up against the tree like he had been doing a few moments before. Next he shed his outer haori and tucked it around her, this served two purposes, one, it kept her warm and two, kept his scent with her to keep her calm and feeling safe while he was gone. Once he was sure she was comfortable, he leapt off into the forest to see what he could find.

Shiori rested for a bit in their perch until an arrow pierced the tree just by her head. She growled and jumped up higher and scanned the area for the danger. Her eyes fell upon a woman flanked by odd floating ghostly snake-like creatures. But this was not the weirdest thing, the woman was dressed in miko garb.

"A miko?"

She murmured aloud, wondering why this woman was attacking her, miko didn't attack youkai who weren't doing anything unless one matching the description was found to be hunting humans or livestock but Shiori hadn't scented one in ages. Shiori traveled up a bit higher before calling down to the woman. Shiori sneezed when she caught the woman's scent, dirt and pottery but no scent of life within her. What was going on here?

"What do you want, miko?"

"To kill someone who shouldn't have that soul and has two things that are mine…"

The woman answered, her cold gaze chilling the neko in her perch.

Shiori canted her head a little, a low growl in her throat, how did this woman know she harbored Kagome's soul? And what was she blathering about? She hadn't stolen anything.

"I've never seen you, how could I have taken anything from you? And what does it matter to you whose soul I have? Your worms could easily get you more…"

Another arrow struck the wood near Shiori's head causing her to climb higher. She watched the woman carefully while her stowaway was speaking within. So that was it?

"That soul is partially mine and you seem to have stolen someone else who is promised to me!"

"Hmm, she tells me you have a bit of her soul actually and he has pledged to me, I bear the mark right here and his child."

Shiori said with a growl in her voice as she spoke, Kagome was telling her quite the story. She turned a bit and lifted her hair to show the mark but not dropping her gaze from her attacker.

"You will die, I won't let you take him…"

The woman answered though the miko's face still didn't change a bit, not in anger or distress, same stony continence as always. Her hand went back for another arrow, drew it back and fired.

As the arrow sped towards its mark, an aura burst forth from the prey. When the arrow was within inches of Shiori's face, it burst into flames and fell back to the ground. The neko was beyond angry, the woman was putting her and her unborn's life in danger, she would not stand for that. The aura around her flared out wider, setting ablaze anything too close to her. But before she could spring to take out her anger, red and silver swept in front of her protectively causing her to drop the aura in surprise. She couldn't see him over his shoulder but Inu was irate, his ears flattened back and growl was rising up like she had never heard from him.

"When will you give up? My debt to you was paid with Naraku's death, you hold no ties to me anymore. And how could you attack my mate, Kikyo?"

"You know the law, all half-breeds must be killed.."

Kikyo spat back, realizing that meant him too but it was how things were done among humans and youkai alike.

No sooner had the words left her mouth, Inu had drawn his sword. His tone was tense as though he was trying to hold in his anger, deep down he knew Kagome wouldn't want him to kill Kikyo.

"Leave now and I will spare you but come after us again and I won't be so forgiving…"

One look into his red tinged eyes was enough for her leave, she wasn't about to deal with his youkai form. His worms hissed at the pair before following her, all disappearing just as swiftly as they had originally appeared.

As soon as the scent of her was gone, Inu turned and hugged his mate close, burying his face into her hair, glad she was safe. Shiori purred softly within his embrace, a sense of all was well again making her feel content again. The pair was like this for quite some time before Inu nibbled on her ear.

"No more being on your own, koibito. From now on, you will stay with Kaede, Kikyo never enters the village. You'll be safe there.."

She nodded before nuzzling his neck, the realization of how close to death she might have been finally dawning on her. She knew she couldn't just fight on her own anymore, she carried a little life within her now, one that depended on her and Inu to protect it from harm.


	12. Shiori Vs

A laugh broke the silence of the forest as Shiori sprang about, seemingly something chasing her but it was easy to tell from the look on her face that it wasn't a threat. Her movements were slower than usual but it was only natural since she was several months pregnant and her burgeoning belly was beginning to make her a little top heavy so to speak. This became all too apparent as she landed and slipped on a dewy rock. Her weight rocked first forward as she did her best to right herself, leaning back but only made herself fall on her back in an ungraceful heap. A clump of brush cushioned her fall but the woman's sigh of relief soon turned into cursing.

Not far behind, Inu was bounding along towards her but when he got to her, an odd sight met his eyes. Shiori was purring and babbling it seemed to the sky before giggling hysterically.

"The monkey has my money, ask him!"

She babbled with a big wave of her arms before laughing again, a crazed look in her eyes. Inu could only cant his head and look at her confoundedly at his mate's behavior for a few moments until the scent hit him. But before he could move, the little fox demon bounded out and landed on his mate's stomach. Inu raised a fist to hit the brat but stopped since he didn't want to risk Shippo moving and hitting Shiori instead on accident.

"What's the matter with her?"

Shippo asked before Shiori pinched his cheeks then started to contort his face into funny expressions to her.

"Catnip, she must of fallen into it."

"I dith not!"

Shiori shot back before trying to roll over and failing, her belly just wouldn't let her.

"Then how did you get in here then? Nekos tend to avoid these plants and this isn't the first time you've tripped…"

Inu asked trying his best not to laugh at his mate's attempt at making an unhappy face but instead it looked like she was going to puke any second.

"Shuddap and get meh up!"

She yelled back, ears flattening back. Shippo by then had rolled off and was clutching his sides as he cracked up beside her. Inu's face was red with holding back his laughter but he pulled her up and hid his face in her hair so he could at least smirk. But a little chuckle caught his mate's ears and her ears went back again.

"Pink elephants have no right to laugh.."

She said with a scowl but it only resulted in her mate losing his control, falling back and taking her with him as his booming laugh filled the forest. He couldn't help it, Shiori's control over her facial expression was gone and her ears were flipping about in different directions, leaving her looking quite comical. But his mate burying her face against his shoulder soon quieted him, reminding him that he shouldn't be laughing at her misfortune.

Standing up, he then shifted her behind him, placing her in the piggy-back pose he had done with Kagome countless times. Once he was sure she wasn't going to fall, he made his way back to the village, perhaps Shiori could sleep it off. Shippo though wasn't helping matters, he started first on one of Inu's shoulders then shifting back and forth between them. This wasn't really the problem, it was what it caused Shiori to do when the action started to get on her nerves. Baring her claws, she made a swipe for the kitsune, missed in her catnip induced haze and sunk her claws into Inu's shoulder. Inu winced and grabbed the kitsune from his perch on the other shoulder by the tail and flung him as far as he could. The little kitsune's cry of "INUYASHA!" became no more than a peep with the distance before a thump followed.

Back at the village, things were no better, not with Shiori taunting all who looked up curiously at her.

"What ya lookin' at! Never seen a cat before?" She would yell before making a swipe at the passer, in veritably striking Inu's shoulder again with the effort. Inu never made a peep though, continuing his trek to Kaede's hut as though nothing was happening. Shiori was getting quieter though no less spunky but her sounds were no louder than a normal speaking voice now.

The hut was empty though, the old bat appeared to be out, more than likely looking for herbs as she usually did. His mate would not be getting any herbs if he had anything to say about it, human method just couldn't hold a candle to youkai know-how. After a bit of fighting with Shiori to loosen her grip, well a lot of fighting with her, he sat down in his usual corner and put her in his lap. After wrapping his arms around her, Shiori seemed to give in to the sleep haze provided by his warmth and started to yawn. There was a bit more ear flipping and nonsensical banter before the cat demon finally drifted off into a deep sleep. Nuzzling her neck and sighing softly, Inu was glad his mate was quiet and hopefully on the way to getting back to normal. But as soon as his eyes shut too, a right hook from his mate to the chin jarred him back awake. Biting lightly on the tendon by her neck, Inu sighed while he willed her to submit to her mate. Even in sleep, the bite did the job as Shiori became still once more, dreaming peacefully away now. He let go and then waited a bit to make sure his mate was really out this time, wondering what the next few months would bring. He nuzzled the side of Shiori's neck before splaying out one hand over her stomach, feeling for the life within, the kicks and jabs of his son or daughter. A smile played over his face as he felt a kick, it had been a good one, his child would be a strong one. The smile only grew wider as another pushed again his hand with a strong thump. His ears tentatively pricked forward to see if the jolts were bothering his mate but her rhythmic breathing was all that met his ears as she slept on. A contented sigh came from him, never before Shiori had he thought he would've ever become a father. As a hanyou, he had expected to lead a lonely life with no mate or cubs as was the norm with those not of pure blood. He had never thought someone would give him a second glance, let alone love him and let him sire their cubs, it was just unheard of before now. The woman in his arms had made it all possible, she had given him a chance instead of treating him like filth and above all she loved him. He was glad the others weren't in the hut right now, without them there, he could smile as wide as he cared to instead of hiding his emotions under a mask of indifference as he usually did. After giving his mate's neck one last nuzzle, he gave in to sleep's call.


	13. Chapter 13

It was a cold night for the progressively getting huger mother to be which made her all the more restless. Inu wasn't helping, it was a full moon night so he didn't want to go out, he still hated his weaker body. She tried everything she could think of to get him to go but he wasn't having it.

"Take Shippo, he can keep you company since Sango is gone and you can't do girly babble besides he's practically a girl anyway."

The little kitsune started an attack but quickly found himself flung back to where he started by the irritated hanyou. Shiori meanwhile was flipping her ears back and forth while she pondered it, it was better than going alone she supposed. Still it lacked the fun of teasing her mate but it didn't seem like her mate was in a playful mood anyway. She stood, face half hidden by her hair and sauntered out. The nearest hot spring was only about a mile away anyway, perhaps Inu would change his mind later and join her. Shippo was babbling about something as he followed behind her but she flattened her ears back as to not listen. Besides she needed to watch where she stepped, it was too easy to fall over with her large belly.

A short while later, she was soaking her sore muscles in the hot spring, ears flapping back and forth at the little kitsune's high-pitched babbling. She wasn't really listening, the pitch just kept drawing her attention for a few seconds every once and awhile. She sighed and rested her head on her arms on the edge of the water, trying her best to drown out Shippo's story of what happened when he ate too much of some food called prunes from the dead girl's backpack, the last thing she wanted to hear was a gas story. She swished the tip of her tail in the water, making the little bell bobble hanging on it jingle to drown out Shippo a bit. Her eyes wandered over the trees and bushes nearby lazily for something to do. Her ears flipped forward at the sound of a branch snapping and she raised a hand for Shippo to be quiet.

"And there was quite the smell that da-…." The kitsune said closing his mouth as Shiori had asked. Shiori was reaching for her clothes while moving almost silently out of the water. She was just tying the sash and turning to speak to Shippo when an arrow shot past her head.

"Shippo, get Inu and Kirara now!" She yelled to the retreating form of the little kitsune who was already taking flight but fortunately in the right direction. But as she watched him she let her guard down long enough for another arrow to sink into her shoulder. She bared her teeth and growled menacing in the direction it had come from. She raised one hand up in front of her face before five little flames rose from each claw tip. She didn't have long to wait for her attacker to show, when the long, snow-white serpents began to appear, Shiori knew all too who was after her.

"Still vengeful, Kikyo?" She hissed, holding her ground for now, she couldn't run fast this far into the pregnancy. She had to hope her fire could keep the former miko at bay until help arrived. But before an answer came, three arrow points stabbed into her back, seemed the bitch was using her worms to keep the neko's attention while the miko snuck behind her.

"You could say that, after all I didn't get to kill you last time…" Came the miko's cold voice before she stepped out into the open. Her bow was already raised and she let the arrow fly, Shiori's roar of pain was soon heard as it struck her in the stomach.

"What makes you think you can?" Shiori asked through clenched teeth as she doubled over a bit.

"For one, he's not here to protect you and he can't tonight anyway.." Came the miko's reply, and for the first time in a long time, her voice wasn't its usual lifeless one.

"It's nearly morning…" Shiori growled back before starting to cough and a bit of blood leaked out from the side of her mouth.

"You'll be dead long before then…"

The miko could be right about that as Shiori soon fell on her hands and knees, she was starting to feel cold, she just had to try and stall the best she could until help arrived. Perhaps the cub could live if she held on long enough, that is if she could, she could feel the strength leaving her body already and she soon fainted.

Kikyo's serpents surged forward but soon hissed, the demon wasn't dead yet. Their master stepped forward and cocked back a final arrow, soon Inuyasha would be her's again.


End file.
